A Volatile Purpose
by Pyro146
Summary: She has been released from prison due to a bargain made without her knowledge and her trust in authority has vanished. Rose is still a valuable asset and her talents will always be sought after, her motives will always be questioned. Steve is one of the few who believes she was innocent and feels the need to help her. Rated for violence, language and smut. Steve/OC.
1. A taste of freedom

Rose could always manage to discern the correct time, even while knowing the guards used various methods to confuse the prisoners. The meals were not brought at set intervals, the lights were not turned on and off according to morning and evening. The point was to slowly break down the sanity of those trapped within the concrete walls and watch without concern as their own minds were lost to them. It was brutal, it was unfair and it was unjust.

But Rose felt like she deserved every second of it.

She was perhaps the only prisoner there voluntarily. Not that it was well known, but there was a slim chance that she could have escaped if she chose to. It was this knowledge that kept her mind from succumbing to the darkness. There were days when she would consider her freedom, it seemed to be just within her grasp and she simply needed to reach for it. But then she would remember what she had done and the guilt would return, forcing her into the corner of her tiny cell, only to wait out the monotony of her imprisonment.

She knew that it was almost eleven thirty. She could tell by the sounds of the other prisoners and from her own well honed instincts. In a couple of minutes, chaos would erupt through the prison as some of the inmates were brought out into the sunshine, given half an hour to enjoy the fresh air and a break from their dull grey cells. Rose would not be joining them. She was a level 7 inmate and she was not given the luxuries of a daily visit to the outside world. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had even seen the sun.

Too long, for someone like her.

But she could not let herself wallow in self pity and regret. The past was unchangeable and she was certain that given the option, she would make that single decision again. In her heart, she believed she had acted in a just manner, even if her actions had led to the death of people that she had become close to.

The alarm sounded throughout the prison and her time theories were reaffirmed. The trip to the yard was the only thing that ran in consecutive timing, everyday without fail. They could try and confuse her by all the other means, but that alarm would always signal her sanity.

She was surprised as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her cell. She knew instantly that the guard was heading directly to her, she was the only prisoner on level 7, the only one deemed to be dangerous enough to be held so far underground. Two short taps on her door was enough to rouse her curiosity and she moved from her bed with hesitant steps. She doubted she was going to be given some time in the yard, but there was still a feeble hope brewing inside her.

"Hands."

The single word was a direct order that confused her more but she complied, putting her hands through the tiny gap in the door where the food trays were placed. Metal cuffs were locked around her wrists, a thick chain connecting them closely and she stepped back as the guard rapped on the door again, the sound of the baton hitting the metal echoed loudly around her small cell.

With a pressurized hiss the door was opened and Rose waited for instruction from the guard. For almost a year she had been in that particular cell, it was the first time the door had been opened since. The other prisoners were of course allowed out for various reasons, showering being a main one. But Rose was treated to her own private shower in the corner of her cell. She could not use it whenever she desired, only when the guards would allow her to and even then it was always cold water. Level 7 prisoners were not good enough to receive anything else.

"Walk." The guard demanded, holding his stick with a tight grip. Not once had Rose ever acted in an unruly manner, there was no reason to assume she would be anything other than compliant. But she wasn't exactly staying in a holiday inn and precautions needed to be taken. She leaned out of her cell and saw two more guards waiting nearby, looking just as serious as the one who had cuffed her.

"Where are we going?" She asked, with a voice that could only be described as calm. Pain shot across her shoulder as she was struck with the baton. She winced and pursed her lips together, but made no move to counter the attack.

"Walk." The guard repeated, this time with an obvious threat in his voice. She complied, moving slowly from the cell that had become her home even though she detested it with an unyielding passion. Her grey pants trailed slightly across the steel floor, they were a size too big and lacked any sort of comfort, neither things bothered her in comparison to everything else about her incarceration.

The small amount of hope she had been grasping was disappearing with every step. She would never be given the opportunity to breathe the fresh air again, the only possible reason for being removed from her cell was death. Were they finally going to clear up the loose ends and send her to the electric chair? Perhaps it would be fatal injection. Despite the situation, the barest hint of a smirk crossed her lips and amusement played in her eyes. It would most likely be a firing squad, perhaps merely for the fact of irony.

As she reached the end of the hall, flanked by her attentive escorts who had expressions that could rival a stone statue, she paused for a moment. The baton was slammed into the base of her spine and she stumbled forward, having to let the wall catch her in an undignified manner. There were no words exchanged as she stepped into the tiny elevator, her face contorted with a slight show of pain as her lower back throbbed.

When the guards had stepped in with her and the call had been placed over the radio to send the lift into ascension, she couldn't help but wonder if they would even make it to their destination. The grinding sound of unpolished gears struggling to work was an ominous one.

"Where am I being taken?" Rose asked again, having to speak louder to be heard over the groaning of the metal cage they were riding in. She fully expected to be hit again but to her surprise there was no pain drawn from the question. There was however, the very clear sound of someone having to restrain another from just behind her and she realized she had narrowly avoided yet another smack.

"_What are you doing? We cannot beat her to death before her lawyer sees her."_ The words were spoken in German and Rose narrowed her eyes a little at the content. She had not asked for a lawyer and she had never expected to be given one, she had no idea why one would have been appointed for her.

Her case had been cut and dry, no courts and no juries. Officially, there was no conviction, she had just been thrown into a prison without ever being meant to see the light of day again. When you cross the kind of people she had crossed, you didn't expect to be given a fair trial.

"_She is scum, she deserves nothing less than a severe beating."_

Rose did not react, clearly they were unaware that she could understand every word they were saying. Even with her calm demeanour, she was not going to let herself be struck again without dealing the guards some punishment in return. There was a reason she had been kept in a level 7 area, they should have anticipated that even without a weapon, she was not defenceless.

She played nice as she was led from the elevator and past the cells which had been emptied for the daily exercise routine, clearly the timing of removal from her own cell was no coincidence. As she reached a steel framed door with an impressive electronic lock, she knew she had arrived at her destination and she waited patiently as a code was entered to grant her access.

She had never been inside the room, it was for lawyers and she was not surprised as she was ushered forward alone, privacy was a legal right in such a case. Not that there was anything legal about her incarceration.

The room itself was quite small and exceptionally plain, white walls, grey floor, a series of lights across the roof that were bright enough to cause her to blink. She had not been living in the most illuminated area as of recently. In the centre of the room was a metal table with two chairs facing each other. One of them was occupied by a man she had never met before, but was most certainly not a lawyer. She would have bet her life on it.

He was dark skinned, bald and clean shaven, a man who appeared to be military and yet sat informally with his back against the chair and his hands resting on the table. His clothing held a theme tone of leather, the black trench coat was a sure sign that he was not a lawyer. As was the eye patch.

"Care to take a seat?" He asked calmly. For sheer purpose of curiosity, Rose walked forward and sank slowly into the uncomfortable chair, her eyes never leaving his face. She was trying to read him as much as he was trying to read her.

"I don't know who you are." She said quietly, hesitation in her tone. She was not good at dealing with unpredictable situations and this certainly counted as one. Somehow, the man had managed to enter the room with at least three weapons, probably more better concealed ones. That was a big no-no.

"I would be surprised if you did." He said, leaning forward a little. "In fact, it would mean I was failing at my job. Your comment is a compliment, if anything."

"Riddles and a talent for side stepping a direct explanation." Rose was slightly amused. "You must be a spy."

"I am Director Fury." The man said, leaning forward even more. "Of SHIELD."

"SHIELD?" Rose narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I've never heard of it."

"Of course you haven't." Fury said simply and leaned back almost casually. "We don't exactly broadcast our information to the general public. But you have more or less been working with us before."

"I've been out of a job lately." Rose said, looking around the room that was significantly cleaner than any other part of the prison. "My time has been… otherwise engaged."

"Yes and you must be loving it here." Fury said with a slight smirk, drawing her eyes back to him. "Tell me Rose. What would you do for your freedom?" The question was not one she had expected and for some inexplicable reason it put her on the defensive, as if her instincts were warning her not to trust this man.

"What makes you think I can't just walk out of here if I wanted to?" She asked in a lazy tone. It was a ridiculous thing to say, nobody in their right mind would ever believe a convict could simply leave such a well secured prison. Obviously, he was not in his right mind.

"Oh, I have every faith that you could leave _whenever_ you wanted to." He said with a genuine smile. "But I like the fact that you stayed. It shows an acceptance of your fate."

"Well I am guilty." Rose murmured quietly, not expecting him to hear her.

"Are you really?" Fury asked but she said nothing, simply raised her eyebrows. "I know someone who has been proclaiming your innocence for a very long time."

Rose looked down at the heavy cuffs around her wrists, she was well aware of the person he was referring to. Even though he had barely hinted to who it was, she knew there would only be one person in the world that would fight in her defence. Even when she would not even fight for herself.

"You cannot give me freedom." She said resolutely, showing the belief behind her comment. "You do not have the authority. Do you have any idea who put me in here?"

Fury laughed but it lacked anything even remotely close to humour. "Yes, I am well aware of who organized your _charming_ accommodations. The same people who tried to blow up Manhattan with a nuclear device about a week ago."

"Sounds like you have your hands full." Rose lifted her eyes to his face, staring hard into his eye. "Why exactly have you slugged it out to Germany and made your way down into this hell? Can't just be for me, I would feel too special for such treatment."

"Well, the hairy situation has passed and the threats have been neutralized." He frowned just a little, "I'm here to fulfil my side of a bargain. A bargain that I struck with somebody who is very intent on having you out in the world again."

Rose stood up suddenly, worry and anxiety crossing her expression. "What did she promise in return for my release?" She demanded, gripping the edge of the table tightly. Fury did not react in the slightest, he seemed completely unbothered by her sudden animosity.

"Loyalty. In a nutshell." He said quietly. "She had joined SHIELD again."

"Bullshit." Rose growled menacingly, but still the other man remained calm. "What are you not telling me!"

"Oh, there is a significant amount that I am not telling you." Fury chuckled, despite her angry demeanour. "And rest assured, I will _not _be enlightening you. But here is the deal. You are free, should you chose to leave this horrific place. Your name will be cleared and you will be struck from all official records. You will have your innocence back."

"I am not innocent." Rose said heatedly, eyeing Fury suspiciously as he stood and placed his hands behind his back.

"Actually, you are." He turned and walked toward the other door, the one that led away from the area Rose had come through initially. He knocked once and it opened, a man in black suit walked through giving Rose a nod in greeting.

"This is Agent Coulson." Fury said, waving an arm toward the man as he entered the room. "He will be your new handler."

"Handler?" Rose asked, clearly confused. "I don't need a handler."

"You are getting one anyway." Agent Coulson told her, apparently taking no offense to her immediate rejection of his presence. "Now you can stay in here and rot, or you can come with me and have your life returned to you."

Rose didn't move for a second. It all seemed to happen so fast, her morning had been as uneventful as usual but suddenly she was going to be released and given a new slate? Her past was going to be wiped clean? She eyed the two men who appeared patient as her mind whirred, but they obviously already knew what her decision was going to be. She didn't trust either of them, but apparently she had no choice, not if she wanted the one thing she never thought she would be given willingly – her freedom.

"Alright." She said quietly, her nerves tingling as she crossed the room and stood in front of her new 'handler'. "I'll come with you. But if there is any funny business, any reason for me to suspect treachery, I will kill you."

"Likewise." Coulson said with a smile and extended his hand. Rose shook it hesitantly, aware that her life was about to change dramatically. Yet again.


	2. Mistaken Identity

**Mistaken Identity**

The reintroduction to the sun was almost painful. For so long Rose had been kept underground and away from any natural light, the oxygen had been filtered in and she had lost the knowledge of what fresh air could even taste like. Her mind could not fully comprehend what was happening and part of her was expecting to wake up at any moment, another part urging her to at least enjoy the dream before she was pulled into reality.

She thought it strange that her cuffs had not been removed until she had been led right through the prison and out into the world, it was almost as if the man called Fury had forgotten she even wore them. He must have some idea who she was and what she could do, yet he seemed to have absolutely no fear toward her. Neither did her new handler, who seemed as though he was going to continue the role he had been given no matter her resistance against him.

There was only one path to leave the prison and it ran alongside the area where the other inmates were having their time out in the sun. All eyes fell on Rose as she was led toward her freedom and there were stunned faces throughout the yard. It was exceptionally rare for anybody to be released, criminals were sent there to rot, forgotten by society. Just as she reached the end of the gravel track, she could not resist giving a salute to those she would be leaving behind, feeling nothing at the abuse that was hurled toward her, knowing it stemmed from jealousy.

"Seems like you were rather popular in here." Fury observed, listening to the vulgar insults. "Hopefully you won't miss them too much."

Rose looked up at his face, was he actually making a joke with her? This man was going to be impossible to figure out, that much was for certain.

"I never met any of them." She said calmly, her eyes lifting to the sun and feeling a wave of serenity wash over her, brought on by the heat she could feel radiating from between the pale clouds. "I was kept in complete solitary confinement."

"For their own safety of course." Fury said and Rose's head snapped toward him once again. He definitely knew more than he was willing to let on.

"What happens now?" She asked him with an obviously suspicious tone, but it was Coulson who answered her.

"When you were put inside, all your accounts were frozen and your assets seized. You have nothing to your name-"

"Yes, thank you for rubbing salt in that particular wound." She muttered under her breath and he pretended not to hear it.

"You'll be staying at the base, since you have no other option." Coulson continued to explain as they were allowed through the front gate and none of the group paid any mind to the men who held automatic weapons trained on them until the radio call was placed to let them out. It told Rose that just like her, the other two were very familiar with guns. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that, but she was in no place to demand answers, no matter how much she craved them.

"So my freedom is limited." She murmured, not entirely surprised. She couldn't expect to be released from a triple max slam and just be let loose into the world.

"Until we can figure out how much of a threat you pose." Fury said with honesty, something Rose appreciated.

"You know damn well that I am a threat." She said quietly, but careful to keep any sort of malice from her tone. Fury held open the door of the small black helicopter and waited for her to step inside, giving her a serious look that brought back all sorts of memories from her military days.

"We know you are a threat Rose. But the question is, to whom?" Before she could give him an answer, or even think of one, he closed the door and moved around to the front of the chopper to slide in beside the pilot. She leaned back in her seat as Coulson moved to the space next to her and handed her a headset so she would be able to communicate while they were in the air.

"We are gambling on the fact that you will have a more conforming attitude than your sister." He said loudly as the rotors began to spin. Rose couldn't help but smile at the comment and she gave a little nod.

"You would not believe how many times somebody has said that to me. Sir." She added as an afterthought.

* * *

It had been almost 24 hours since she was rescued from the hell hole that was supposed to be where she remained until she died. A place that was not meant to be luxurious in any way and designed to break down the very basics of the human spirit. She had been taken to the base, shock filling her as she realized it was not a set location in the middle of a desert somewhere, but in fact a floating ship in the middle of the damn ocean. A Heli-carrier, Coulson had called it and as they approached from the sky, Rose had not missed the maintenance that was being completed on one of the crafts massive engines. It was clear that some sort of battle had taken place recently.

No explanation was given and she did not ask for one, already falling back into her habits of secrecy and deceit, accepting that information was going to be given to her on a need to know basis. It had not fully sunk in that she was free, probably because even in her room where she was alone and left that way, she was aware of the dozens of soldiers that were milling around the base. It felt oddly familiar, to be back amongst such organized military and it was more comforting than if she had been placed out among civilians.

Coulson had made it clear that she was not confined to her quarters, but she had remained there anyway, spending the first hour and a half standing under a stream of hot water and scrubbing herself raw. Oh how she had missed hot showers. The drawers in her room had been filled with military styled clothing with logos emblazoned on every item, prompting her to wonder if she was considered to be SHIELD property.

Although her new location was much nicer and certainly less foreboding, it seemed like she had just traded one prison for another. Coulson said he would leave her to settle in and come to get her at a later point with the promise of a tour, but she had been stuck in a small room for a very long time, she felt the need to get out and move around.

She had been lying on the bed in her underwear, marvelling at the softness of the blankets in comparison to what she was used to. She slid off the bed and pulled on some pants and a black tank top, shrugging her arms into a jacket with the SHIELD logo across the back. She half expected the door of her room to be locked, but she was able to step out into the hall and was relieved to find a remarkable lack of people in sight. Her bare feet moved with silence as she wandered aimlessly, those few agents that passed her seemed as though they didn't notice her. Even while looking totally out of place and completely lost, she was able to blend into the background with ease. Prison had not dulled her skills.

She walked without a direct purpose, merely feeling the need to stretch her legs and take a look around the area that she was apparently going to become very familiar with. After spending so long trapped within a 6 by 8 cell, it was a relief to be able to actually walk in a direct line without having to turn around and alter her direction. The base seemed mildly busy, whatever was going on managed to distract everybody enough so that she could travel around unnoticed.

"Aurora!" Rose froze as she heard the name being called down the hall and she slowly turned to see a man in a sliver-grey suit striding quickly towards her. At first glance he seemed to be oddly familiar, but she couldn't place the face to a name and blamed the near insanity of her recent incarceration. She knew her mind was going to have to be allowed time to recover from the numbness that swept through it during her imprisonment.

"I thought you weren't coming back?" The man said with a raised eyebrow, digging his hands into his pockets as he reached her. "You were pretty adamant that you were too good for us." He seemed genuinely surprised to see her, but of course he had no clue who she really was and Rose simply waited for him to understand that it was a simple case of mistaken identity. To his credit, It didn't take him long and his eyes were slowly widening in confusion as his mind tried to process the fact that she was not Aurora.

"Wow." He murmured, his expression changing to one of mild shock and his deep brown eyes darted across her face, evidently studying every detail. "You must be twins." He said, as though declaring it to be law, instead of asking for confirmation. She noted that he seemed to enunciate his words very clearly, sounding them out almost with purpose. This was definitely a man who talked a lot, probably had a liking for the sound of his own voice.

"Not twins, just sisters." Rose said almost methodically, wondering how many times she had needed to clarify that point over the course of her life.

He recovered his composure faster than Rose would have expected and a lopsided smirk crossed his lips as his eyes returned to hers again. "I apologize for staring. You two look completely identical. Apart from the hair color of course, but everything else is creepily similar especially your eyes. I thought Aurora's shade of emerald was a one-off and yet you have the exact same tone."

Rose remained blank faced as he acted so openly fascinated with her, letting him continue to observe her physical appearance and compare it to Aurora's. The smirk slid from his face and he suddenly narrowed his eyes in mild suspicion, taking a small step back from her. If Rose correctly understood his reasoning, then distance between them was not going to help in the slightest.

"You uh, do you have the whole brain thing going on as well?" He asked hesitantly, placing his fingers to his on temples. She noted how ridiculous he looked but didn't voice her opinion on the matter, simply shaking her head and watching him relax his stance, giving a sigh of relief.

"Oh good, good. It's weird being around a person and knowing that you aren't even safe inside your own mind." He chuckled quietly and stroked his neatly trimmed goatee. As his arm came up, the jacket of his suit shifted a little and Rose noticed for the first time that an eerie blue glow was emitting from beneath his shirt. She must have been staring at it for longer than she thought, judging by the way he bent his knees a little so he could recapture her eyes to his.

"What is that?" Rose asked quietly, her hand moving to her own chest in the place of where is corresponded with the glow on him. He seemed genuinely surprised that she had to voice such a question.

"You honestly don't know what this is?" He raised his eyebrows as though it should be common knowledge. She didn't say anything, the last thing she wanted was to appear stupid but she really had no clue what she was looking at, or why she was supposed to know what it was.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked suddenly. She realized there was no hint of arrogance or ego, he wasn't asking in a way that suggested she _should_ know him, it sounded more like curiosity. She pursed her lips together and studied his face, receiving the notion of familiarity again but still drawing a blank in her mind.

"I feel like I should know who you are." She said honestly, her mind whirring as it tried to work overtime and answer the great mystery that she had been presented. He smiled a little and extended his hand with the clear intention of offering it to her for a shake.

"Tony Stark." He said and alarm bells rang throughout her mind. How could she not have figured that out? It seemed the moment he filled her in, it was impossible to think she had been unable to guess his identity. Everyone in the world knew who the man in front of her was, he was an A class celebrity and perhaps one of the richest men in the world, what the hell was he doing in the middle of a military base run by a man who set the standard for spy work and secrecy?

"Rose." She said simply, placing her hand in his and squeezing with a little more force than was necessary. He quirked an eyebrow again and the lopsided smirk grew a little warmer.

"Just Rose?" He clarified and she nodded, "Is there a particular reason that neither of you have a last name?" Rose was saved from answering the question or having to sidestep it entirely, by a strained voice that called out down the corridor, interrupting her conversation.

"Tony! I got the notes, we can go!" Rose turned to see an olive skinned man hurrying forward, waving a file in his hand, looking slightly anxious as he approached. He stopped dead when he saw her and his eyes widened in as much surprise as Rose expected to be getting from the people around the base until they figured out who she was. She hid her internal sigh as the man continued to walk towards them, but with obvious hesitation.

"Aurora." He nodded with a calm politeness, "I didn't think you were coming back. You dyed your hair? I must say I like the chocolate brown a lot better, good choice."

Tony started to laugh and Rose resisted the urge to roll her eyes, maybe she need to wear a flashing sign that clearly stated –'**I am not Aurora!**'

Tony moved around beside her and dropped a hand on the other man's shoulder, grinning wildly as his eyes flicked between them. He seemed content to simply wait until it was discovered that she was not the person that she initially appeared to be. But Rose didn't want to play the discovery game, she figured it would be in her best interests to let them all understand who she was from the start. Especially since she guessed Aurora would have no doubt left a rather bad impression in her wake.

"Aurora is my sister." She said quietly. "I'm aware that we look very much alike. I'm Rose. Just Rose."

To her surprise, the other man's eyes seemed to spark In recognition and he didn't question her or even appear to be too shocked by the revelation. "Bruce." He said quietly, "Bruce Banner. Yes, Aurora did say that she had a sister, though she mentioned that you were in jail…?"

Before Rose could say anything, Tony put his other hand on her shoulder and she resisted the urge to break his arm, boundary issues was something she was known for having. "I don't think you look like the criminal type." Tony drawled.

It was Rose's turn to be surprised, it was obvious that they didn't actually know much about her at all. Good, she liked it that way, to be a mystery and to be underestimated constantly. "Aurora was telling the truth, I was only just released yesterday. By Director Fury."

"Well aren't you a special one." Tony chuckled with amusement. "I suppose you were innocent? False imprisonment and all that? What did you do? Rob a bank, steal a car?" he was finding the situation enjoyable, when it was only a serious issue with Rose and she did not appreciate it. She moved away so he was forced to drop his hand and she stared coldly at him, her hands automatically moving to be clasped behind her back.

"For the record Mr. Stark, it was not false imprisonment." Her green eyes were cold despite the sudden heat emitting from her body which was apparently unnoticed by the two men. "I was part of a team that carried out sensitive military orders. There was an issue with one of the missions and I disobeyed direct orders from my superior. This led to the death of my entire team and the other people who were involved in the mission."

They could have asked her anything at all, there must have been a hundred points that needed clarification but Tony surprised her by asking a question that she didn't expect.

"How did you survive?"

Rose relaxed her stance slightly and the shimmering heat in the air disappeared as suddenly as it had begun. "Believe me when I say, I am _very_ hard to kill." She stared resolutely at the two men, her words being perhaps the most honest ones ever uttered from her lips.


	3. An Old Acquaintance

**An Old Acquaintance **

"And this is the gym." Tony opened the main door and allowed Rose to walk past him into the expansive gym, watching her carefully as she tried to take in all of her surroundings at once.

"Very impressive." Rose muttered quietly, "But a tour is not necessary, Agent Coulson was supposed to be doing that with me."

"Yeah well he's most likely busy assisting in more deceit and lies." Tony said casually and Rose raised an eyebrow but he made no indication of further explanation and she didn't feel the need to press. He glanced past her and whistled at the only other occupant in the gym, a man who was showing an extreme amount of agility as he darted around a large punching bag, laying blows that seemed incredibly quick and just as deadly.

The man paused and glanced over with a note of surprise across his expression, evidentially not having noticed their entrance into the gym. Rose fully expected more confusion between her and Aurora, but the man just gave them a nod and went back to his work out.

"You'll have to ignore his rudeness." Tony said unfairly, considering the man had not been rude at all, at least not by Rose's standards, "He's been through a bit of stuff recently."

"I see." Rose said quietly as she watched him move around and deliver kicks with devastating force. Suddenly he turned back toward them and stared as though waiting for something. After a moment he relaxed his stance and took a step toward them, appearing much more calm and composed.

"Stark if you are just going to stand there and watch me work out, you know I will make you fight." He used a light tone, but Rose understood that there was a level of seriousness beneath his words. She said nothing even as she watched Tony lift his hand and place it on her shoulder, grinning at the other man.

"Fight this one." He said and the other two stared at him like he was insane.

"Jesus Stark, what do you have against the new recruits?" The other man was smiling as though it was an amusing game. "Stop sending them in to be broken."

"Well if she can fight anything like her sister…" Tony winked and there was a spark of recognition in the eyes of the other man as he gave a nod, mostly to himself.

"Thought you looked a little familiar." He mused quietly, "Hair's different though."

"Yes I'm aware." Rose said, speaking to him for the first time. Her eyes slid to his hand and saw he had a strange strap across his fingers, like a failed and incomplete glove. "You're an archer?" She asked, she had seen similar things before.

"The best." Tony said and squeezed her shoulder, "But he's also excellent in hand to hand combat so go on, go forth and battle to the death or whatever."

"I… I don't think Coulson would approve." Rose said quietly as she sized up the archer, already picking out weak points and strengths.

"Coulson is your handler?" The archer smiled a little, a gentle excitement showing in his eyes and she realized he was doing the exact same thing to her, preparing for a fight. "That makes you special, more or less." Rose didn't quite understand what he meant so she said nothing and continued to watch him. She saw the muscles of his right hand flex before he threw a vicious punch that should have connected directly with the bridge of her nose.

In an instant she widened her stance slightly and tilted her body backwards, her spine bending with impossible flexibility to ensure the sudden punch met only thin air instead of her own flesh. Before he could counter the balance he had lost from the failed punch, she turned on the spot and jabbed her elbow into the side of his torso, taking even more of his balance away.

Both their expressions were hard set as they realized that the other person was going to present a challenge. Rose managed to land a hit that she would have considered to be lucky, a light punch that connected with her opponents jaw line and caused him to grunt. He was fast to recover, attempting to sweep her legs from under her. She rolled to the side with expert skill and was on her feet in no time, already launching a revenge attack.

He was fast, that much was undeniable and she was rusty from her stint in a tiny room, it had been a long time she had sparred with anybody. But she was stronger by far and she was competitive by nature, there was no way she was going to let this man she had just met take her down. She saw the shock on his face as she smoothly ducked under another punch and slid to the side, hooking one arm around his shoulder and kicking out his ankles at the same time.

He was slammed onto his back and she quickly placed her knee to his chest, exerting enough pressure to keep him in place but not enough to injure him further. He tried to move her knee but she pinned both of his arms by his wrists and stared down at him until he conceded defeat. A simple nod after a moment of calm was a signal that she had won the match and she moved back, extending a hand to pull him to his feet. She was a little surprised that he accepted the offer, obviously he showed no scorn for losing to her.

She took another moment to study him and was able to note that he had certainly been through some serious trauma recently and she frowned a little.

"I would have preferred that to be completed while you are at full health." She said honestly.

He gave her a slight smile, not bothering to defend her insinuation that he wasn't very well. "The moment I'm top-notch, you can expect a rematch." He promised. "Where did you learn to fight?"

"Military." Rose said, only half lying and he didn't seem to pick up her deceit.

"Ranked?" He asked with genuine curiosity, placing his hands on his hips and evening his breathing from the short spar.

"Not anymore." Rose shook her head and folded her arms, her breathing had never even been quickened. "I was stripped of rank after the incident." He didn't ask her to elaborate and she was appreciative.

"Is nobody even slightly confused as to why this girl just kicked Barton's ass?" Tony had been all but forgotten until he spoke up with a wave of his hand and Rose tuned with a calm expression that he didn't match.

She wanted to make a joke about the possibility of kicking his as well, something of a big step for her considering she hadn't had much to joke about recently. That possible option was interrupted as the door to the gym opened and Rose met eyes with someone she had never hoped to see again. Her posture remained completely stoic but inside she was groaning in protest. The red headed female walked forward with an impossibly blank expression and folded her arms as she reached Rose.

She was shorter, Rose had always been marginally tall but this female was below average in height, making up for it in many ways that Rose was aware of. No one spoke for almost a minute, not even Tony, who Rose had quickly learned would break any silence just to hear his own voice.

"Natasha." Rose said simply, giving a small nod that caused her pride a blow of pain. Natasha just stared at her for another moment and ignored the looks on the men's faces as they understood that Natasha and Rose knew each other.

"How was prison?" Natasha asked. Her voice was calm, but it was obviously a question meant to be degrading and full of sneering. Rose wasn't someone who could fold under emotional pressure easily and it didn't bother her.

"Dreary." She replied with a lazy tone, still locking eyes with the assassin. "I see you have switched sides. Not under the KGB anymore? Or is this some kind of elaborate double agent plot?" She knew she had hit a nerve by the flash of anger in Natasha's eyes, but the woman showed no other reaction. "You've grown up a lot Natasha."

"And you haven't aged a day." Natasha said with a hint of venom in her tone. "Not that I'm surprised by that of course." Rose had to chew on her tongue to avoid saying anything, she knew how well Natasha could twist words and get people to lose their composure. "You should have stayed in prison."

"That was the original plan." Rose said with a little heat in her tone.

"And exactly how many people did you kill when you broke out?" This time it was an obvious sneer and she seemed satisfied as Rose's hands twitched with the anger she was trying to keep in check. She took a subtle breath and willed herself to calm down, there was no point losing her cool and endangering the lives of the people around her. As much as she wanted to fight Natasha, she didn't want to injure the other two.

"Actually I was released." Rose informed her, noting the way Natasha narrowed her eyes with pure suspicion, clearly she didn't believe her.

"By who?"

Rose smirked a little, she was receiving the upper hand of the conversation and it suited her. "Director Fury."

Natasha's eyes widened ever so slightly before she pressed her lips together and frowned deeply, turning and walking quickly from the gym. There was every reason to believe she was heading straight to Fury to argue.

"How the hell did you get that one as an enemy?" Tony asked her as the gym doors swung shut with a clanging echo.

Rose's smirk turned into a self satisfied smile and she moved her hands behind her back into a formal stance that was still so familiar to her even after everything she had been through. "I broke her cover, a long time ago. Messed up her entire mission and then took her target. Apparently I have never been forgiven." She gave a one sided shrug, it wasn't something she was overly concerned about.

"You'll have to watch your back around here." The archer said as he moved to the side of the gym and grabbed a towel to sling around his neck, bending his knees to get a good stretch going on. He was smiling slightly at her, as though the animosity had amused him.

"I can handle her." Rose said simply, staring down at her hand as it heated slightly and a gentle shimmer appeared in the air. Neither of the men saw it and she closed her fist before replacing it behind her back again.

"Come one superstar." Tony placed his hand on her shoulder again and she frowned, starting to get very annoyed with his invasions of her personal space. "Let's go get some food, I'll have to head back to the tower soon or Bruce will end up creating some crazy thing and blow up half the city. And then… you know…" He chuckled and winked at Rose as he led her from the gym, obviously having no idea that she wasn't following his conversation in the slightest.


	4. Eyes of Fire

**Eyes of Fire**

Rose was not comfortable around so many people. At first she had found the base to be familiar, there was such organization, such a heavy military presence and it was reminding her of old times. But after spending so long in complete solitude, with only herself for company, she was not enjoying being among a large amount of people. Tony seemed to love it, he received so much attention, most notably from the females and Rose was quick to grasp his status as a player. Flirting came easy to him, that much was obvious and it amused Rose to watch the woman fall for his charm.

Though she walked beside him as he led her through the base, attention was focused on him far more than her. This was due to both his show of flamboyance, commanding attention from others and also by the way she avoided it. She did not skulk or try to hide as she walked, appearing only normal and yet moving fluidly, as if a shadow. It was a skill she was proud of and had aided her many times.

He brought her into a small cafeteria room, hardly any people were occupying it and Tony led her straight to the food. She certainly was hungry and there was an assortment of delicacies that made her mouth water. However, logic overruled her taste buds and she picked up a plain bagel, earning a laugh from Tony.

"Seriously? With all you have available in front of you, you pick glazed bread."

Rose took a bite and chewed slowly, swallowing before she turned to him and spoke.

"I have been living on nothing but stale bread and water for a very long time." She explained, seeing him nod in understanding, "My stomach simply cannot handle much else at the moment."

"Like an addiction." Tony said and she raised her eyebrows, not understanding the comparison. "Like when you are on some heavy drugs and have to wean yourself off them. As though you are training your body slowly."

"That's not quite… well, I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Rose said quietly and took another bite. "Though I am sure there are better analogies to chose from."

"So how long were you in?" Tony asked. Rose was a little surprised at his blatant questioning, he didn't seem to have a firm grasp on the concept of personal space or the idea of refraining from asking personal questions regarding topics that people may not want to discuss.

"A long time." She said quietly and he raised an eyebrow, folding his arms in a way that seemed obvious he wanted more information. Rose sighed and finished her bagel, he had been accepting of her so far, he didn't seem to mind that she had been in prison and she supposed she owed him a little. "I was in Germany for just under a year. But I was in a few other places before that. I was moved a lot, needing to be kept in a maximum security prison each time. All in all, I have been away from the world for almost 7 years."

Tony didn't speak, he was studying her and evidently running calculations in his head as his eyes moved over her face. He frowned and placed his hands in his pockets, crinkling the suit a little but not seeming to care. "You, really don't look very old, you must have gone in when you were quite young."

It was a logical comment and she completely understood his reasoning for reaching that conclusion, but he was entirely wrong.

"Yes, quite young." She lied smoothly, sometimes it was just easier to allow people to believe what they had already chosen to, rather than explain the very long story of her past. She wanted to take the focus away from her and decided to ask about him, still finding it odd for such a sharply dressed and quick witted man to be wandering around a high levelled military base.

"What brings you here?" She asked, aware of a few people leaving the café area and with such a lack of people around her, Rose began to feel more comfortable.

"Oh well, you met the doc, he needed to grab some of the notes from the tesseract case and-" He cut off and frowned. "Probably shouldn't even be talking about that. Forget I said anything." It was obvious he expected Rose to argue and press for more information, but she simply nodded. She was no stranger to confidential info and she was aware she would be told about it if she was meant to know.

"But that doesn't explain why _you_ are here." She said, side stepping the whole 'tesseract' business, not having much interest in it. "You do not seem like the type to frequent a military base."

He raised an eyebrow at her and she was beginning to wonder if that was a overused method of communication with him. "Iron Man is around military more than you would think." He assured her.

"Who?" She asked confused. Suddenly he laughed and she didn't even know what to think. This man was certainly unpredictable.

"I keep forgetting that you will have no idea what is going on in the world." He said, dropping a hand on her shoulder. That action was becoming an annoyance and if he did it again, she would have to severely warn him against it. "There is so much that you need to be filled in on. About Iron Man. And the alien army and-"

"Sorry what?" Rose pushed his hand away from her shoulder and folded her arms. "Alien army?"

"Yeah and a visit from a couple of Gods. You familiar with Norse mythology?" He asked, seeming genuinely interested.

"I uh, a little." She said honestly. "I'm aware of the basics. I know a lot more about Greek but Norse mythology… I have never really studied." He was grinning at her in a way that seemed almost foreboding.

"Oh you are in for a treat." He chuckled, leaving Rose even more confused. There was definitely something strange going on around the base, something huge that Tony was finding amusing.

"Stark!" An authoritive voice sounded from the doorway and the two of them turned to see a man striding forward with a less that pleased expression. He was tall and well built, his torso was muscular as well as his arms and he walked with a posture that told Rose he was military. His hair was a blond color, swept to the side in a neat cut that reaffirmed her theory of his status.

"Captain!" Tony exclaimed, giving her an idea of his rank. "How are things?"

"You do not have clearance to be here Stark." The Captain said, obviously unwilling to engage in any sort of small talk with Tony. "You know you have to get yourself cleared when you come into base. You have not done that and you need to leave."

Tony just waved a hand, not bothered by the manner in which he was being spoken to. "Good to see you too Captain. Look Aurora is back." He pointed at Rose who glared at him, adorning a frustrated expression that was most likely very close to her sister's. To the surprise of both of them, the Captain was not fooled for a moment.

"That is not Aurora." He said calmly, "I know this is Rose." He turned to her with an look that was significantly less hardened than the one he had been using to deal with Tony. "I'm Captain Rogers. How are you finding your stay at the base so far?" He asked, extending his hand toward her.

"It's been unusual sir." She said, shaking his hand and noting the warmth of it along with something else. There was a sort of strong energy emitting from his skin. This man was just adding to the mystery that she had found herself in.

"For me as well." He replied almost cryptically. He turned to Tony and the hardened expression returned. "Fury wants you to keep away from this one, especially after what happened last time with Aurora." Rose snapped her head towards him at the mention of her sister.

"What do you mean?" She asked and he flicked his eyes to her for just a moment before they returned to Tony and Rose also glanced over at him. "Tony, what is he talking about?"

"Nothing, nothing." He chuckled, waving his hands defensively. "Honestly he's just trying to stir up trouble." Rose took a step forward and glared at him, pressing her lips together tightly. She had one hell of a short temper and the fuse was burning low. "Okay so maybe… There was something between Aurora and I." He shrugged his shoulders as Rose's expression turned to malice. "Whoa easy, Jesus you look just like her when you are angry. Nothing really happened, I mean she was great and we had fun, but man, she can be a super bitch."

Rose's hands twitched before balling into fists and she had to fight against the very strong urge to permanently incapacitate him. The Captain seemed to be very aware of what she was thinking and he stepped between them. "Stark, leave now. Rose, stand down, that's an order."

She calmed almost instantly, taking a step back and pulling up her composure as the Captain all but pushed Tony from the room, not taking no for an answer. He moved back to her and gave her a serious look. "You need to remain calm, we don't need any fires around here, everybody is still on edge."

Rose looked up at him and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You know." She said quietly and he just nodded, folding his arms across his broad chest and keeping eye contact with her. She couldn't help but notice how incredibly blue his eyes were and how much depth they held. This was a man who had seen and done far more than any one person should have.

"The Director gave me your file. It was… interesting." There was an ever so slight tug at the corner of his lips, a gentle amusement showing in his eyes.

"That is not the word people usually use to describe me." Rose said honestly. She moved into a more formal position with her hands behind her back and her feet shoulder length apart. She may have been out of the military for 7 years, but before that, she lived and breathed protocol, it was almost natural to her even after all that time.

"And what word would you use then?" He asked with a curious tone as though he would value her answer.

"Volatile." She said almost instantly and he pursed his lips, chewing on his tongue. It didn't seem to be an acceptable answer.

"That was your code name before the incident." He said, folding his arms a little tighter. Rose tried not to notice the way his muscles bulged under the thin material of his shirt. He was an incredibly handsome man and Rose was having a little trouble concentrating. "I read that in your file. But there was a note that mentioned you never liked it. Why?"

A personal question from a stranger, but also from a commanding officer and not one that she could refuse to answer. She was saved by a call over the radio hooked to his hip and he pulled the device up to answer it.

"I need to deal with this." He informed her, "I'll see you around." As he turned to leave, Rose's eyes dropped to his lower back area and a smile crept across her lips. Perhaps the base wasn't such a bad place after all. She certainly never had a view like that in prison.

* * *

It had shocked Steve how much she looked like Aurora. Her hair was different of course and that was the most notable feature upon first glance, a smooth chocolate brown rather than the fiery red of her sister's. But they shared the same facial structure, pale skin that was essentially flawless, high cheekbones, full lips with a color that was obviously natural. Rose's eyes were a tad more vibrant than Aurora's though Steve didn't think it was the shade that was different. There was a softness there that Aurora had been lacking.

There was also far less attitude in Rose's expression and body posture, she was calmer, more composed and no doubt in better control of her power. Steve knew about it of course, it was detailed explicitly in her file and he was not lying when he said it had been interesting to read.

The attached photo had not done her justice, it did not capture the beauty that she presented in person, nor the wisdom in her eyes. After 7 years in such horrific prisons, she could be expected to be almost feral and dangerous, but she had obviously not been broken. Steve was definitely looking forward to seeing her around, she intrigued him in a way that he couldn't explain.

After he had sorted the problem Fury had called him for, he made his way back to his quarters and sat down on the edge of his bed, an image of Rose still running around in his mind. It was her eyes that captivated him, there was so much in them. On a whim, he pulled out his largest sketch book and took a pencil, lightly brushing the tip across the paper.

It was nearly an hour before he was fully satisfied by his work and even then he knew it fell short of the real thing. But he knew there was no way he would ever be able to actually capture the fighting spirit that he had seen in those emerald eyes, no matter how long he spent on a drawing. In the bottom right corner he signed his name as always, with no particular reason of doing so. Across the top, in a lazy scrawl, he quickly wrote –'Eyes of Fire.'


End file.
